Talking therapies: Ivan Lewis launches guidance for SHAs

The government published guidance today on how strategic health authorities (SHAs) will deliver talking therapies in the near future, on the day that research revealed that antidepressants do not work.

The programme is designed to train two levels of therapists to work with people with mild to moderate and moderate to severe mental health conditions.

Mental health problems are the largest single cause of illness and disability in England and affects one in six adults. It is hoped this programme will treat 900,000 more people for depression and anxiety, of which 450,000 will be completely cured, in line with Nice (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines.

Sainsbury Centre backing

Angela Greatley, chief executive of the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, said: “For many people with depression and anxiety, timely access to therapy can be the difference between keeping and losing a job, or staying in school and dropping out. IAPT is a unique opportunity to train and develop a group of NHS-aligned therapists with the skills that are needed to offer support to the full range of people experiencing mental distress.”

Care services minister, Ivan Lewis, said: “For many people, prescribing medication is a successful treatment but psychological therapies have proved to be as effective as drugs in tackling these common mental health problems and are often more effective in the longer term.”

SHAs will now commission training places for high and low intensity therapist trainees across England over the next three years.